1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to welding guns, and more particularly to the nozzles and diffusers of MIG welding guns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
MIG welding guns are composed of several components that must work together if successful welding is to occur. In addition, for the gun to be acceptable to the welding industry, the various components must be easy to assemble and disassemble.
An especially important welding gun component is the nozzle, which directs inert gas to shield the welding arc from atmospheric air. The nozzle is part of a nozzle assembly, which includes the outer tubular nozzle, a tubular insulator inside the nozzle, and in some cases, a metal insert inside the insulator. The nozzle has a front end that is unsupported and is close to the welding arc. The nozzle back end is retained by the insulator or insert to another gun component, such as a diffuser. The diffuser is at the downstream end of a head tube that extends from the gun handle. A contact tip is connected to a downstream end of the diffuser and is generally surrounded by the nozzle front end. The inert gas flows through an annular passage between the nozzle front end and the contact tip to the welding arc.
Prior nozzles assemblies can be classified in two categories: slip-on, and screw-on. In a slip-on nozzle assembly design, a formed retaining sleeve or retaining rings are used between the nozzle assembly and the diffuser. The diffuser may have grooves in an outer diameter that contain the retaining sleeve or rings. The retaining sleeve or rings create an interference fit between their outer diameters and the inner diameter of the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly is forced over the retaining sleeve or rings to create a frictional force that holds the nozzle assembly to the diffuser. The retaining sleeve or rings do not provide a solid connection between the nozzle assembly and the diffuser so as to maintain the nozzle concentric with the diffuser and the contact tip. Eccentricity between the nozzle and the contact tip is detrimental, because it causes uneven flow of the inert gas around the contact tip and welding arc. Another disadvantage of the slip-on nozzle assembly design is that there is no way to positively maintain the nozzle longitudinally in place on the welding gun. Positive retention of the nozzle is especially important during rough usage, as, for example, if an operator uses the nozzle to knock slag from the workpiece. Maintaining proper longitudinal relationship between the nozzle and the contact tip is necessary for satisfactory welding. In addition, in high heat welding conditions, the nozzle and retaining sleeve or rings get hot, which can cause the retaining sleeve or rings to soften and allow the nozzle assembly to fall off the gun.
A screw-on nozzle assembly utilizes several turns of threads to retain it on the diffuser. Normal manufacturing tolerances of the threads allow lateral movement of the nozzle from a true concentric position relative to the diffuser and the contact tip. A screw-on nozzle assembly normally has an insulated flat end surface that abuts a flat surface on the diffuser when the nozzle assembly is fully turned onto the diffuser. Retention of the nozzle assembly on the diffuser depends on a hard stop between the abutting flat surfaces of the nozzle assembly and diffuser. Removal of the nozzle assembly from the diffuser requires turning it through all of the several threads in engagement. In high heat conditions, the parts distort, and removal of the screw-on nozzle assembly is difficult.
The welding arc is, of course, extremely hot. Some heat from the arc transfers by radiation to the nozzle front end. Such heat transfer to the nozzle is detrimental, as it is a major cause of metal distortion and softening of the nozzle material. The annealing temperature of copper, the material from which some nozzles are made, is approximately 800 degrees F. It is highly desirable that the operating temperature of the nozzle assembly be well below that temperature in order that the nozzle maintain its strength and thus be able to withstand rough handling during use.
The heat in the nozzle dissipates in several ways. One way is for the heat to radiate to the atmosphere. Some of the heat is carried away by convection of air past the nozzle. Additional nozzle heat is transferred by conduction through the diffuser and head tube to the gun handle.
Under some conditions, particularly when the temperature difference is greater than approximately 300 degrees F., heat can be transferred by radiation from the nozzle to the contact tip. Consequently, a hot nozzle can raise the temperature of the contact tip. A hot contact tip is undesirable, because it has a shorter service life and reduced performance compared to a cool contact tip. A cool contact tip also minimizes heat transfer by conduction through the diffuser and head tube to the gun handle. Accordingly, an important benefit of a cool nozzle is that it tends to keep the contact tip cool and it also keeps heat distortion of the nozzle to a minimum.
During the course of a welding operation, it is sometimes necessary to replace the contact tip. To do so, it is first necessary to remove the nozzle in order to gain access to the contact tip. In a screw-on nozzle design, the operator must turn the nozzle until it advances off the diffuser. Grabbing the hot nozzle with a gloved hand is cumbersome and potentially uncomfortable, so it is highly desirable that the nozzle be removed as quickly and easily as possible. However, standard threaded connections between the nozzle and diffuser require that the operator turn the nozzle through all the several turns of the mating threads before the nozzle advances off the diffuser. After replacing the contact tip, the reverse procedure of rethreading the hot nozzle on the diffuser must be performed.
Thus, further developments are needed in MIG welding guns.
In accordance with the present invention, a MIG gun nozzle with reduced cross-sectional area at the front is provided that has greatly improved thermal and mechanical characteristics compared to prior guns. This is accomplished by designing the nozzle with a minimum frontal area and with ramps that center and retain the nozzle on the diffuser.
The nozzle has front and back ends. At the back end is a cylindrical tubular section with inner and outer diameters and a relatively thick wall. At the front end of the cylindrical section is a hollow frusto-conical section. The frusto-conical section has inner and outer surfaces that converge toward the nozzle front end. At the junction of the cylindrical and frusto-conical sections, the wall of the frusto-conical section has the same thickness as the wall of the cylindrical section, and the frusto-conical section inner surface is coincident with the cylindrical section inner diameter. The wall thickness of the frusto-conical section at the nozzle front end is less than the wall thickness at the junction of the cylindrical and frusto-conical sections such that the nozzle front end is a narrow annulus.
In the preferred embodiment, both the thickness of the nozzle front end annulus and the total length of the nozzle between its front and back ends are within limited ranges. Further, the ratio of the nozzle length to the annulus thickness is also within a limited range. Ideally, the annulus thickness is approximately 0.065 inches, and the ideal ratio of nozzle length to annulus thickness is approximately 50.
The nozzle of the invention has a screw-on design. In the preferred embodiment, the nozzle is part of a nozzle assembly that also includes an insulator and an insert. The nozzle assembly insert has an internal thread with a pitch of only a few threads per inch.
The diffuser has an external thread that mates with the thread on the nozzle assembly insert. Preferably, the diffuser is designed such that the nozzle assembly is fully assembled to the diffuser by only about a single turn. After the nozzle assembly has advanced through the turn, the insert contacts a stop on the diffuser.
Further in accordance with the present invention, the nozzle is centered concentrically with the diffuser when the nozzle assembly is fully assembled to the diffuser. For that purpose, the diffuser stop is fabricated as an exterior frusto-conical back ramp that makes a predetermined angle with the diffuser longitudinal axis. There is an interior back ramp on the nozzle assembly insert. The insert back ramp is designed to engage the back ramp on the diffuser when the nozzle is fully assembled to the diffuser. In addition, there is a ramp on the diffuser thread that is oriented oppositely as the diffuser back ramp. Specifically, the flank of the diffuser thread between the thread root and tip is formed as a thread ramp. The angle that the thread ramp makes with the diffuser longitudinal axis is preferably equal to the angle that the diffuser back ramp makes with the diffuser longitudinal axis. The thread of the insert has a ramp that is complimentary to the diffuser thread ramp.
If desired, the insulator can be manufactured with the internal threads and ramp. In that case, a separate insert is not needed.
As the nozzle assembly is assembled to the diffuser, the insert thread ramp slides around the diffuser thread ramp. As the nozzle assembly approaches its fully turned condition, the insert back ramp approaches and then engages the diffuser back ramp. A slight torque on the nozzle produces a wedging action of the insert on the diffuser. The wedging action occurs because of the simultaneous engagement of the surface areas of the insert thread and back ramps with the surface areas of the diffuser thread and back ramps, respectively. The wedging action performs two simultaneous functions. First, the wedging action automatically centers the insert and nozzle assembly to be concentric with the diffuser. Second, the wedging action causes the insert and nozzle assembly to become tightly retained against loosening on the diffuser. To release the nozzle assembly, a relatively substantial reverse torque must be applied.
During operation, the nozzle remains exceptionally cool. The narrow annulus at the nozzle front end is practically the only place on the nozzle that is in a direct line of sight with the welding arc. Consequently, only a minimal amount of radiant heat from the welding arc reaches the nozzle. At the same time, the much larger areas of the outer surfaces of the nozzle cylindrical and frusto-conical sections that are in the shadow of the arc allow any heat to escape by radiation and convection. Consequently, the nozzle operates at a relatively cool temperature, which enhances both its performance and that of the contact tip.
Other advantages, benefits, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the invention.